CHAWENG BEACH (East Coast)
Without a doubt, Chaweng Beach is the most popular place for people to stay on Samui and is now a fully fledged international tourist haven, rivalling Patong Beach in Phuket.

The beach itself has beautiful, soft, white sand and is over 7km long. The water here is clean and clear, not too deep and ideal for swimming.

LAMAI BEACH (East Coast)
Though not as popular as Chaweng, Lamai offers nearly everything that it's neighbour has but on a slightly smaller scale. Lamai is a growing town in transition and here you will find people that have been coming to Samui for years.

Lamai Beach is 5km of beautiful, crescent shaped, white sand, lined with palm trees and the water here is deeper, clearer and sometimes rougher than Chaweng.

BIG BUDDHA BEACH (North Coast)
Takes it's name from the 12 metre golden Buddha overlooking the bay. The statue is actually on the island of Koh Fan, which is joined to Samui by a short causeway. There are a few interesting temples in this area, with the Big Buddha itself housed inWat Phra Yai.

The beach is a quiet and peaceful place, 2km long, lined with palm trees. Swimming is good here as it is well protected by the headlands. The water is shallow and calm.

Bungalows and restaurants line the beach at the water's edge and there is a pier here for boats service to Koh Phangan.

BO PHUT BEACH (North Coast)
A sleepy little fishing village on the north side of Samui, between Maenam and Big Buddha beaches. Bo Phut is one of the island's oldest settlements, maintaining it's old style authenticity. A few charming restaurants, bars and cafes sit on the beach.

MAENAM BEACH (North Coast)
Located fairly close to the port of Nathon, Maenam was one of the first tourist areas of Samui.The beach itself is 4km long and the sand is firm and clean. The water is crystal clear and warm, typical of all of the island's northern beaches.